Echocardiography (Ultrasound of the heart)
Using a special ultrasound probe, which is usually placed externally on your chest wall (TTE: Transthoracic echocardiogram) and in few cases introduced internally through the mouth into the esophagus (TEE: Transesophageal echocardiogram), we can evaluate the function and anatomy of your heart.
Herewith, we can assess the size of the heart chambers, the thickness and strength of the heart muscle, as well as the function of the heart valves. All these parameters may give information about the cause of your symptoms.
Moreover, we can also identify congenital heart abnormalities, which may have remained undiagnosed until youth or even adulthood.
Finally, the echocardiogram may reveal the consequences for the heart in case of existing high blood pressure, lung disease or cardiac arrhythmias and may also play an important role in assessing the response to treatment in these cases.